Industrial might!!

[Professor Brensec]

Watching a Biography on Carnegie last night, I learnt quite a bit about the American steel industry. Also the way in which US Steel came about as a purchase of Carnegie's concerns for a record price etc.

Anyway, the figures that I've been thinking about since are those quoted as the major manufacturing feats during WWII in the States (not forgetting, UK and Commonwealth people, that the war was beginning '42 till Aug. '45 for th U.S.).

Apparently, during this 3 year and 8 month period, 297,000 military aircraft were made. Also, just as mind boggling, if not more, 71,000 ships (including merchant).

My God! I wonder if Yamamoto, who warned about and feared the great industrial might of the US, even had an idea of this kind of capacity.
He guaranteed Japan 6 months of victories without American interference and after that he said, unless Japan had reached and acheived all goals by then, they would eventually lose. Your not wrong, with figures like that.
I knew that the US had basically supplied the Allies with the majority of large equipment, in any great numbers, but I had no idea of this kind of scale.

Looking over some sites I now have an idea of exactly how many .50 cal machine guns were made, how many Garrands and M1 carbines, how many Jeeps etc.
Really amazing.  ;D

[Oso]

Kaiser - in an attempt to outpace his son who was running another yard, once built a Liberty Ship in 4 days. Building them in a week was old hat.

Ford built a really huge plant to build bombers, Willow Run I think it was named. Think it was B24s. Applied his knack for the assembly line - the stats and size of that plant alone is impressive. One rolled out the door every 56 minutes.

Everything had to made in great quantities. The US was supplying a lot of countries and had to overcome the percentages lost to UBoat and Raider predation.

[BFMF]

Not to mention all the Weapons, Ammunition, and the personal gear that was mass produced!

[Professor Brensec]

As I said Boys, majority of large equipment (and good amounts of small supplies) were made in US.
There was no "Made in Taiwan" then.....................lol

Your right Oso. Happened to see another Doco on the Depression and recovery which mentioned Ford plant and conversion to Bomber assembly (also had own smelting and forging plant). It clearly shows rows of B24's.

I did see another Doco regarding Liberty ships (was part of "Battle Stations" series on History channel (I'm somewhat of a history buff - mainly modern) and the "4 day Liberty ship"was featured. There was apparently alot of healthy competition between the different shipyards, factories and plants etc. Prizes and awards were given for different achievements etc.
It's a bit different from the German slave labour concept - but then there's nothing more inspiring than working for your life!.........

[Oso]

The History chanel has done shows on the Willow Run Plant and on Henry J Kaiser's Liberty ships. Look for them - they are quite interesting.

As a matter of fact, the 83 Jeep that I am working on was designed and introduced as a Kaiser Jeep and then became Jeep. With only minor changes - mostly cosmetic and a few different engines it was produced from about 1966 to 1996. So he is still affecting our industries.